Ep. 3: Alka Joshi - The Henna Artist

from Page One Podcast · host Holly Payne, Alka Joshi

Page One, hosted and produced by Holly Lynn Payne, celebrates the craft that goes into writing the first sentence, first paragraph and first page of your favorite books. The first page is often the most rewritten page of any book because it has to work so hard to do so much—hook the reader. We interview master storytellers on the struggles and stories behind the first page of their books.In Ep. 3, we hear bestselling author Alka Joshi discuss all that went into the first page of her bestselling debut novel, The Henna Artist. Alka was born in the desert state of Rajasthan in India. In 1967, her family immigrated to America. She earned a BA from Stanford University and an MFA from California College of Arts in San Francisco. Prior to writing The Henna Artist, Alka ran an advertising and marketing agency for 30 years. She has spent time in France and Italy and currently lives with her husband on the Northern California Coast. See her on YouTube and Instagram or visit her at alkajoshi.com.About the host:Holly Lynn Payne is the CEO and founder of Booxby , a startup helping authors succeed. Holly is also an internationally published novelist in eleven countries whose work has been translated into nine languages. In 2008, she founded Skywriter Books, an award-winning small press, publishing consultancy and writing coaching service. To learn more about her writing coaching services, please visit hollylynnpayne.com. Thank you for listening to the Page One Podcast!  I hope you enjoyed this episode as much as I loved hosting, producing, and editing it. If you liked it too, here are three ways to share the love:Please share it on social and tag @hollylynnpayne.Leave a review on your favorite podcast players. Tell your friends. Please keep in touch by signing up to receive my Substack newsletter   with the latest episodes each month. Delivered to your inbox with a smile. You can contact me at @hollylynnpayne on IG or send me a message on my website, hollylynnpayne.com.For the love of books and writers,Holly Lynn Payne@hollylynnpaynehost, author, writing coachwww.hollylynnpayne.com

What this episode covers

In Ep.3, Alka Joshi discusses all the sweat and love that went into the first page of her debut novel, The Henna Artist—which took her ten years and 30 revisions. After 25 years in the advertising world, Alka's debut novel was published at the age of 62, in the midst of the pandemic. That did not hold her back. She met with more than 350 book clubs in 2020 alone. Reese Witherspoon fell in love with the book and it shot to the NYT bestseller list and is being made into a Miramax TV series. Alka shares what it takes to persevere through years of revisions and anyone aspiring to write their own novel needs to hear this episode for a dose of inspiration. Alka's energy alone will lift your spirits and give you the hope to keep going!

NOW PLAYING

Ep. 3: Alka Joshi - The Henna Artist

0:00 47:36

1×

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

Share this episode

Similar Episodes

I'm ok

Mar 26, 2026 ·1m

REMIX: Why we over-shop and compulsively acquire, and how to stop, with Dr Jan Eppingstall

Jan 9, 2026 ·61m

REMIX: OCD and hoarding disorder with Jenna Overbaugh

Jan 2, 2026 ·47m

REMIX: Therapy and hoarding disorder - what are the options? With Dr Jan Eppingstall

Dec 26, 2025 ·78m

REMIX: ADHD and hoarding disorder with Professor Sharon Morein

Dec 21, 2025 ·46m

#207 13 actionable pieces of mental health advice from six former podcast guests

Dec 12, 2025 ·53m

Similar Podcasts

French Your Way Jessica: Native French teacher founder of French Your Way Boost your French listening skills and test your comprehension with this one of a kind series of podcasts. Get the chance to listen to a real conversation between native speakers talking at normal speed AND customise your learning experience through carefully designed sets of questions (2 levels of difficulty) available for download at www.frenchvoicespodcast.com. All interviews also come with the transcript. French teacher Jessica interviews native speakers of French from around the world who share a bit of their life and passion. Where else would you meet in one same place a French yoga teacher based in Melbourne, a soap manufacturer from Provence, or a couple cycling around the world? That Hoarder: Overcome Compulsive Hoarding That Hoarder Hoarding disorder is stigmatised and people who hoard feel vast amounts of shame. This podcast began life as an audio diary, an anonymous outlet for somebody with this weird condition. That Hoarder speaks about her experiences living with compulsive hoarding, she interviews therapists, academics, researchers, children of hoarders, professional organisers and influencers, and she shares insight and tips for others with the problem. Listened to by people who hoard as well as those who love them and those who work with them, Overcome Compulsive Hoarding with That Hoarder aims to shatter the stigma, share the truth and speak openly and honestly to improve lives. The Small Business Startup School – Business Notes | Financial Literacy | Retail Psychology – For Professionals & Entrepreneurs The Small Business Startup School Inc. Starting or buying a small business? While personal circumstances may vary, business patterns remain timeless. On The Small Business Startup School, we explore strategies, insights, and practical solutions to help entrepreneurs confidently navigate their journey.Hosted by Ola Williams—a retail entrepreneur, fintech founder, and financial coach with over two decades of experience—this podcast marries financial awareness and retail psychology with optimism to deliver actionable takeaways.Join us to learn, grow, and connect as we uncover the keys to business success.Let’s continue to learn together and be encouraged to keep on connecting! DIOSA. Carolina Sanper This podcast is a sacred space created by Carolina Sanper where you connect with your inner wisdom and embody your magnetic feminine power.It is the realization that the mystical realm is where you plant the seeds of your desired reality.It is a portal to your true essence: awareness, presence, and receiving with ease. Welcome home, DIOSA. 🖤

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Page One Podcast?

This episode is 47 minutes long.

When was this Page One Podcast episode published?

This episode was published on June 15, 2021.

What is this episode about?

Can I download this Page One Podcast episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.

URL copied to clipboard!